Not everyone in Europe is aware of all the varieties of citrus fruit
produced by Jaffa.
The citrus fruit described below are those found in Nordic
supermarkets.
Your local supply may be different. Inform us, please (see below)

Jaffa
Sweetie is a similar cross to the American Oroblanco. It
is a cross of
grapefruit and pomelo made in Israel and released for sale in
1984.

In shape and juiciness the fruit resembles grapefruit, but
tastes
as sweet as a pomelo. The skin is dark green in the beginning of
the season and gradually changes to bright yellow.

The fruit is unique in being sweet, yet low in calories (24 to
40 calories in one fruit). The sweetness
is not due to an excess of sugar, but to lack of acid and there fore it
can be eaten without gaining weight.

The
Israeli growers call the Marsh variety Jaffa White Grapefruit. Marsh
was discovered in Florida as a spontaneous seedling in 1860. Because
the fruit of the three original seedlings were seedless the new variety
was propagated in a nursery and Marsh soon became the most popular new
cultivar to be planted. Today Marsh is the leading variety not only in
Florida where it originated but also in California, Texas, Arizona,
South
America, Australia, South Africa, Israel and India.
The
fruit is almost completely round, very juicy and rich in flavour. Marsh
is medium to late in the season, holds well on the tree and keeps well
after harvest. Marsh needs a lot of heat and thrives in hot climates.
It is also highly sensitive to frost.
Jaffa White Grapefruit is available throughout the year.

Sunrise
is the name Israeli growers use of the Star Ruby variety. Star
Ruby
thrives in Israel. As the fruit keeps well on the trees for several
months without loss of quality, Sunrise and Jaffa Sunrise
grapefruit can be found in European supermarkets from early autumn
until late spring. The Texan Star
Ruby is a demanding variety to grow. It needs
steady heat
and humidity but does not tolerate extreme high
temperatures or drought. It is
susceptible to infections, pests and cold weather. It is less
vigorous than other varieties, grows slowly and the tree and
fruit
remain smaller than other grapefruit types.

However, in suitable
conditions the tree produces attractive red
blushed fruit. The flesh and juice are strongly pigmented, up to
three times more colourful than 'Ruby Red', and have a bit more sugar
and acid. The fruit is low-seeded or seedless and has a very good
flavour.

Shamouti,
also known as Palestine Jaffa, is believed to have developed as a
branch sport from an earlier variety called Beledi near the town of
Jaffa, Palestine in 1844. The peel is thick but comes off easily in
segments. The fruit is juicy, with a distinct flavour and of good
quality. Unfortunately it has proven to be susceptible to disease
outside its native area and recently it has been planted less often. It
is still the number one variety in Israel and
Lebanon,
number two in Syria.

Israeli producers have sold Shamouti
budwood to Spanish growers and they have permission to use the
Jaffa name (which is an Israeli trademark) for fruit of Israeli origin.

Two later varieties have the same Palestine origin, Jaffa
and Joppa, both introduced to the United States in the 1880's. The US
Jaffa is often called Florida Jaffa as opposed to the Palestine Jaffa
or Shamouti of Israel.
The
Jaffa orange that is best known in many European countries is usually
Shamouti and often the fruit carry a small sticker with the name Jaffa
Shamouti (bottom picture). The Jaffa trademark,
under which the Israeli citrus producers sell their fruit,
covers several other citrus fruit as well and later orange varieties
include Jaffa Navel and Jaffa Valencia.

Jaffa Shamouti oranges are in season from December to April

Shamouti is also known as: Cyprus
Oval, Palestine Jaffa,
Ronde and Chamouti Yaffaoui.

Valencia
is the world's most important orange variety. It is a major
variety in Florida, California, South Africa and Australia. Over 50% of
the production is pressed for juice. Valencia grows well, is easy to
cultivate and very productive. The fruit is of a high quality
and
seedless. The peel is thin and the pulp is tender and very
juicy.
Valencia is a late variety and keeps well on the tree. It can be
picked until late spring, or even early summer, which prolongs the
season
and increases productivity.

Valencia is one of the oranges
that also thrive in the tropics. The fruit are of a high
quality but
in the heat the colour break does not occur and the fruit still remain
greenish when fully ripe. Producers treat the fruit with a gas
to make the colour more attractive to the consumer.

The Israeli growers call
their navel
oranges Jaffa Navel. Navel oranges, a.k.a. Bahia oranges, get their
name from the navel-like
protrusion at the lower end of the fruit. It is actually a secondary embryo inside the same
fruit. Navel
oranges have no functioning pollen. They do not cross-pollinate with
other
citruses and produce seedless fruit. Navel oranges are propagated
from budwood and recently by cloning. Cloning is the most
cost-effective way of propagation especially in developing
countries. Many
navel varieties grow somewhat slower and smaller than other orange
varieties. Navels are thought to have originated in Brazil.

Tangelos are hybrids of grapefruit and mandarin. Minneola
is a hybrid of Duncan grapefruit and Dancy tangerine produced in
Florida by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and named and released in
1931. Its attractive colour, excellent flavour, and low seed content
have made it popular. Minneola can readily be recognized by its typical
'neck'. Rind colour is deep reddish-orange; medium-thin, with smooth,
finely pitted surface and moderately adherent skin. Flesh
orange-coloured, tender, juicy, aromatic; flavour rich and tart.
Medium late in maturity. Minneola is also known as Honeybell.

Jaffa Red Pomelo is the name Israeli citrus growers use of the Chandler
variety. Chandler
is a cross between the Siamese
Sweet and Siamese Pink pomelos. It originated in
Riverside, California. The fruit is an almost perfect globe, very big
and it sometimes has a pinkish tinge in the flesh as well as on the
rind. The colour depends on climate and soil
conditions.

The skin of Jaffa Red Pomelo often
remains quite green.
However, the flesh is often of a deeper red colour than other Chandler
varieties. Jaffa Red is also bigger than other pomelos. The
taste is sweet and Jaffa Red is suits those who find other citrus
fruit too sour.